Ranking the highest-earning queens in 'RuPaul's Drag Race' herstory
| 05/09/25
simbernardo
These queens made some serious coin on 'Drag Race,' henny!
(L-R) Sasha Colby; Onya Nurve Nymphia WindSantiago Felipe/Getty Images for MTV (all three images)The cash tips on RuPaul's Drag Race and All Stars have increased significantly over the years. This has benefitted queens who often spend thousands of dollars to get their looks together in preparation for the show.
At this point in Drag Race herstory, winning a maxi challenge during a regular, flagship season comes with a reward of $5,000. There are also occasional mini-challenges worth $2,500.
On All Stars, winning a maxi challenge and its subsequent lip sync for your legacy results in a tip of $10,000. And since the introduction of the Lip Sync Assassin format, those cash tips occasionally roll over from week to week. During certain seasons, queens have made $20,000 or even $30,000 from rolled-over cash tips.
Flagship seasons of RuPaul's Drag Race, as well as All Stars, have both maintained the had the grand prize of $100,000 that was first established in season 4. Almost a full decade later, season 14 slightly increased the Drag Race grand prize to $150,000.
That season 14 increase was followed by All Stars 7, the highly-anticipated "all-winners" season, which had its grand prize set to $200,000 for the title holder of Queen of All Queens. That season also introduced a now-frequent "second-tier" title winner who goes on to win a cash prize of $50,000.
Keep scrolling to see our breakdown of the highest-earning queens in RuPaul's Drag Race herstory!
10-11. Alaska — $130,000 (tie)
Alaska on RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 2.
Logo TV
Alaska didn't earn any cash prizes or tips during her original run on Drag Race season 5, but she did make a lovely $130,000 from All Stars 2. That grand total combines the $100,000 grand prize for winning All Stars 2 and the $30,000 cash tips she won from three maxi challenge (and lip sync) wins.
To be clear: Some fans might remember that Alaska won four maxi challenges on All Stars 2. However, her third win took place in the "Revenge of the Queens" episode that gave eliminated queens a chance to come back. Thus, Alaska's third maxi challenge win on All Stars 2 didn't result in a cash prize for her that week.
10-11. Trinity The Tuck — $130,000 (tie)
Trinity The Tuck on RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 4.
VH1
Trinity The Tuck made $120,000 while competing on All Stars 4. Those earnings came from winning two maxi challenges and their subsequent lip syncs (worth $10,000 each), plus the grand prize of $100,000, of course!
Over the years, Trinity came out as trans and nonbinary, and was also cast in the all-winners season of Drag Race. Throughout All Stars 7, she earned $10,000 from one lip sync win. The math shows that the All Stars 4 "twinner" has cashed in an overall sum of $130,000 on Drag Race.
9. Raja — $135,000
Raja on RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 7.
Paramount+
Raja received a grand prize of $75,000 after winning Drag Race season 3. In other words, Raja was the last crowned winner to not win the long-standing $100,000 prize that was set in season 4 and remained until season 14. Over a decade later, the OG fashion queen came back to compete on the all-winners All Stars 7 season, where she made $10,000 from one lip sync win.
In the end, Raja also won the Queen of She Done Already Done Had Herses lip sync smackdown — winning a cash prize of $50,000 that came with that title. The grand total? Raja earned $135,000 from her two times competing on Drag Race.
8. Shea Couleé — $150,000
Shea Couleé at a promotional event for RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 7.
Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for VH1/Paramount +
Despite not winning any money on Drag Race season 9, Shea Couleé came out swinging for All Stars 5 and obliterated her competitors. Aside from winning the $100,000 that came with the All Stars crown, Shea also earned $30,000 from two maxi challenge and lip sync wins: A total of $130,000.
Throughout All Stars 7, Shea won two maxi challenges and both of those lip syncs for her legacy. As a result, Shea earned $20,000 during the all-winners season. Altogether, this legendary legend queen made $150,000 from her three appearances on Drag Race.
7. Willow Pill — $159,500
Willow Pill
VH1
Season 14 winner Willow Pill is among the highest-earning queens in Drag Race herstory. Producers announced that the grand prize had been increased to $150,000 just one week before the grand finale of Drag Race season 14 — a significant increase from the annual $100,000 that had been awarded to winners since the fourth season of the flagship series.
Besides making $150,000 for winning Drag Race, Willow also earned a few cash tips over the course of the season. Willow made $5,000 from a maxi challenge win, $2,500 from a mini challenge win, and $2,000 from the grand finale tip sponsored by Olay, which added up to $159,500.
6. Nymphia Wind — $218,250
Nymphia Wind after being crowned the winner of RuPaul's Drag Race season 16.
Santiago Felipe/Getty Images for MTV
Nymphia Wind earned $218,250 during her fabulous run on Drag Race season 16.
Let's break it down: Nymphia made $11,250 from winning three maxi challenges, as well as $5,000 from winning two mini challenges. She, along with the entire cast of season 16, got tipped $2,000 by Olay at the finale. Nymphia was then crowned America's Next Drag Superstar and earned the $200,000 grand prize that comes with the title. Vote Yellow, indeed!
5. Sasha Colby — $222,000
Sasha Colby at an event for RuPaul's Drag Race season 15.
Santiago Felipe/Getty Images for MTV
The legendary Sasha Colby cashed in a grand prize of $200,000 after being crowned America's Next Drag Superstar in season 15. She was the first winner of a U.S. flagship season to cash in the $200k grand prize. (For context, Willow Pill received a grand prize of $150,000 for winning season 14 the previous year.)
The G.O.D.D.E.S.S. earned $20,000 from winning four maxi challenges ($5,000 each) throughout the competition, and also received a $2,000 cash tip from Olay at the grand finale. Altogether, Sasha cashed in $222,000 during her flawless Drag Race journey.
4. Onya Nurve — $222,500
Onya Nurve at the watch party for the RuPaul's Drag Race season 17 finale.
Santiago Felipe/Getty Images for MTV
Onya Nurve won a total of $222,500 as the crowned winner of Drag Race season 17. This total sum combines the $200,000 grand prize, $15,000 from three solo maxi challenges wins, $2,500 from the episode 12 maxi challenge win (tied with Lexi Love), $3,000 from two mini challenge wins ($500 in episode 6; $2,500 in episode 13), and the $2,000 grand finale tip from Olay to each of the queens.
It do take Nurve to be this iconic, talented, beloved, and a high-earner, too!
2-3. Jimbo — $230,000 (tie)
Jimbo at the viewing party for the RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 8 finale.
Santiago Felipe/Getty Images for MTV
Even though Jimbo had already competed in the first seasons of Canada's Drag Race and RuPaul's Drag Race UK vs. the World, she didn't actually make any money in those first two seasons. Thankfully, things were very different on All Stars 8 and Jimbo was well compensated for her accomplishments in the drag universe.
Besides the $200,000 grand prize for winning All Stars 8, Jimbo also cashed in $30,000 throughout the competition. If you want to break it down: $10,000 came from winning a lip sync for your legacy (against Silky Nutmeg Ganache), and $20,000 were earned by winning a total of four maxi challenges ($5,000 cash tip for each win).
All that math means that Jimbo took home a total of $230,000 after competing on All Stars 8 and becoming the first-ever international Drag Race star to enter the U.S. franchise's Hall of Fame.
2-3. Alyssa Edwards — $230,000
Alyssa Edwards at the grand finale of RuPaul's Drag Race Global All Stars.
Paramount+
The first-ever edition of RuPaul's Drag Race Global All Stars crowned the legendary Alyssa Edwards, who started her journey in Mama Ru's queendom all the way back in season 5.
During her subsequent stint on All Stars 2, Alyssa won $10,000 from a maxi challenge (and lip sync for your legacy) win, then earned a $5,000 cash tip for her "Shut Up and Drive" lip sync tie with Tatianna in the unforgettable "Revenge of the Queens" episode that brought both of them back into the competition.
In 2024, Alyssa represented the United States in the first Global All Stars season that featured her competing against 11 queens from other countries and international Drag Race spinoffs. Alyssa cashed in $15,000 from maxi challenges and lip sync wins, and then won the grand prize of $200,000 as the crowned winner of Global All Stars.
Running up the numbers, Alyssa is tied with Jimbo with a grand total of $230,000 when it comes to Drag Race earnings.
1. Jinkx Monsoon — $332,500
Jinkx Monsoon crowned the winner on RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 7.
Paramount+
Jinkx Monsoon made $100,000 when she won RuPaul's Drag Race season 5. Upon her return to the all-winners edition of All Stars 7 and being crowned the Queen of All Queens, she took home the franchise's first-ever grand prize of $200,000.
Jinkx was also a high-earning competitor over the course of All Stars 7. For instance, she earned a cash tip of $2,500 for winning the reading challenge, and won three lip syncs worth $10,000 each.
Between her original run in season 5 and her comeback story arc on All Stars 7, Jinkx has earned a total of $332,500 from her two times competing on — and winning — Drag Race.
